Highway lighting system



Jan. 20, 1942. D, RcHER HIGHWAY LIGHTING SYSTEM Filed Sept 5, 1939Patented Jan. 20, 1942 UNITED STATES PATIENT 1 OFFICE I 2,270,474HIGHWAY LIGHTING SYSTEM George D. Recher, Chicago, Ill. ApplicationSeptember 5, 1939, Serial No. 293,310

3 Claims.

This invention relates to lighting systems for highways and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a lighting systemwhich will furnish illumination of substantially uniform intensity forhighway surfaces and the like, without producing objectionable glarefrom the viewpoint of motorists using the highway.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lighting system of theabove-indicated character in which the lighting means are utilized to ahigh degree of efiiciency.

A further object is to provide a lighting system or construction of theabove-indicated character which may be advantageously embodied in theconstruction of the highway itself, and which may be maintained andserviced with a minimum I of difiiculty and expense.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a highway lightingsystem embodying aviation markers which will not interfere with theefiiciency of the system in so far as highway illumination is concerned.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from aconsideration of the detailed description appearing hereinafter, inconjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, inwhich Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a highway constructionincluding a lighting system 1 embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view similar to theleft-hand portion of Fig. 1 but on an enlarged scale, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 33of Fig. 2, on the same scale as the latter.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a highway construction includingpavement sections or strips II, II longitudinally separated by adivision strip or curb section I2. -A sidewalk I3 is illustrated at theleft-hand side of the construction, and an inner walk or curb strip I Iis also shown.

A guard rail construction I5 extends along the division strip I2, and asimilar construction I6 extends along the side of the highway,separating the sidewalk I3 therefrom. -It will be understood, of course,that another similar construction (not shown) may be provided at theopposite side of the highway. These guard rail structures or the likeare surmounted by lighting means and housings, etc., therefor, indicatedgenerally by the reference character II. The guard rail structures arepreferably formed of trussed elements anchored in the highwayconstruction itself and covered with sheet metal or the like, as shown.I

The lighting system construction, as illustrated more in detail in Figs.2 and 3, comprises essenby shade means I9.

tion and may suitably consist of tubular electric lamps such as gaseousdischarge lamps. The shade means I9 are preferably provided withrefiective inner surfaces to direct the light rays from the lamps It inthe desired manner.

The lamps l8 may be suitably mounted on the webs of supporting members20, which are substantially I-shaped in cross section. These supportingmembers 20 extend transversely of the rail I6, being spaced along thesame at suitable intervals, and are preferably formed to fit the contourof the top of said rail, to which they are suitably secured. The shademeans I9 are preferably pivotally mounted on the members 20, asindicated at H, and are arranged in substantially abutting sections ofsuch length that the ends thereof, as well as intermediate portionsthereof if desired, are supported by the upper flanges of the members20.

Lenses 22, 22 are preferably used to enclose the lamp-housing sections,these lenses and their supports being suitably mounted between adjacentsupporting members 20 and cooperating therewith to enclose the spacebetween the top of the rail structure I6 and the shade sections I 9.Auxiliary reflectors such as that indicated at 23 may also be providedif desired.

The shade sections I9 are preferably provided at desired intervals withopenings 24 within which lenses or transparent closures 25 are mounted,to serve as night aviation markers. Anti-glare sleeves 26, having theirupper extremities terminating in a plane or other surface tilted awayfrom the highway, are preferably mounted above the openings 24 as shown.

It will be seen that the lighting system described above is adapted tofurnish illumination for highway surfaces and the like at a high degreeof uniformity and efficiency, without producing objectionable glare fromthe viewpoint of motorists. The light sources are preferably disposed ata suflicient elevation above the pavement level to be well above thenormal splash line but without reaching a height at which they aredirectly visible underneath the shades I9, from the level of the eyes ofmotorists driving along the highway. A guard rail of suitable height, asillustrated, say not over three or four feet, positions the lightingmeans properly when the same are mounted thereon as shown.

The web portions of the supporting members 20 are preferably extendedsomewhat beyond the lenses 22 in the manner illustrated, so that theyform relatively closely spaced baflles or transverse shades shutting 01fdirect vision of the light sources when viewed at an acute angle in thenormal direction of vision of persons passing along the highway. Theshade means l9 are also suitably curved as shown so that the outerextremities thereof come down to such a level with respect to the levelof the light sources as to confine the light rays below the normal levelof the eyes of persons driving vehicles along the highway.

While the light sources I8 are preferably of a substantially continuousnature extending longitudinally of the highway, theyv may be arranged insomewhat separated units and in that event the lenses 22 may be arrangedto diffuse the light rays longitudinally of the highway as well astransversely in order to obtain the desired high degree of uniformity ofillumination. In any event, however, it is contemplated that suitablelight sources shall be arranged in relatively closely spaced relationwith respect to the longitudinal extent of the highway.

Suitable reflector and lens arrangements are utilized to direct thelight rays from the sources thereof in the desired directions and withthe desired distribution. For example, in a lighting section such asthat shown at the left-hand side of Fig.1, where the lighting unit ismounted between a sidewalk and a vehicle roadway, it may be desired todirect a relatively large proportion of the total light onto theroadway, and only a minor proportion thereof onto the sidewalk. This isaccomplished by the provision of suitable light-directing means whichmay include reflectors such as the auxiliary reflector 23 illustrated byway of example in Fig. 2. In all cases the arrangement is such thatsubstantially all the light rays, except the small proportion directedupwardly through the aviation markers 24, 25 (if used), are directeddownwardly and laterally across the surfaces to be illuminated, asindicated generally by the arrows 21, 21, so that glare is avoided.

Another important advantage of the lighting system and constructionherein disclosed: resides in the fact that it can be serviced andcleaned with a minimum of dimculty and expense. Being located at aconveniently accessible level, it can be attended by workmen without theaid of ladders or the like. The hinged or pivotal mounting of the shadesections 19 permits ready opening of the same to afford immediate accessto the lamps, reflectors, inner lens surfaces, etc., so that repairs andreplacements can be made with great ease.

In the use of a lighting system of the character herein disclosed,shadows and dark areas on the road surfaces and the like are avoided,and the necessity of having excessively bright areas due to poor lightdistribution is likewise eliminated, thus making for better vision andgreater safety for motorists and others using the highway.

The term highway and similar designations are used herein to refer toall constructions of an equivalent character, such as elevated highways,viaducts, bridges, etc., and the guard rail construction herein referredto is intended to include such structures as hand rails, bridge rails,and the like.

While only certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shownand described herein, it will be readily understood by those skilled inthe art that various changes and modifications may be made in thedetails of construction and agangement'of partswithout departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention, as set fort in the appendedclaims. For example, the invention is not limited to the exact shape andarrangement of the light sources and reflecting and.

tend longitudinally thereof, a series of lightsource means mounted onthe top of said guard rail structure substantially above the curb leveland extending longitudinally thereof, light-directing means associatedwith said light-source means and directing light rays therefromdownwardly and across the highway surface at a substantially uniformintensity throughout the length of the lighting system and confiningsaid rays below the normal level of the eyes of persons driving vehiclesalong the highway, and baffie means located at longitudinally spacedintervals between said light-source means and extending transverselythereof a substantial distance from the longitudinal axis thereof toshut off direct vision of said light-source means from acute angles.

2. A highway lighting system comprising an elongated guard railstructure adapted to be mounted adjacent the edge of a highway to extendlongitudinally thereof, elongated lighting means mounted on the top ofsaid guard rail structure substantially above the curb level andextending longitudinally thereof, light-reflecting means associated withsaid lighting means and directing light raystherefrom downwardly andacross the highway surface at a substantially uniform intensitythroughout the length of the lighting system, and shade means confiningsaid rays below the normal level of the eyes of persons driving vehiclesalong the highway, said shade means being provided with transparentsections directed substantially upwardly and illuminated by saidlighting means to provide night aviation markers and said transparentsections being surrounded by opaque anti-glare sleeves.

3. A highway lighting system comprising an elongated guard railstructure adapted to be mounted adjacent the edge of a highway to extendlongitudinally thereof, elongated lighting means mounted on the top ofsaid guard rail structure substantially above the curb level andextending longitudinally thereof, light-reflecting means associated withsaid lighting means and directing light rays therefrom downwardly andacross the highway surface at a substantially uniform intensitythroughout the length of the lighting system, and shade means confiningsaid rays below the normal level of the eyes of persons driving vehiclesalong the highway, said shade means being provided withtransparentsections directed substantially upwardly and illuminated bysaid lighting means to provide night aviation markers and saidtransparent sections being surrounded by substantially verticallyextending opaque anti-glare sleeves having their upper extremitiesinclined downwardly and outwardly away from the highway whereby saidtransparent sections are substantially concealed from view from thehighway.

GEORGE D. RECHER.

